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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26047393">See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberrydaifuku/pseuds/strawberrydaifuku'>strawberrydaifuku</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shall We Date?: Obey Me!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Confrontations, Cunnilingus, Didn't Know They Were Dating, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Female Reader, Fluff, Large Cock, Love Bites, Love Confessions, Mirage Flower (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!), Mirror Sex, Misunderstandings, Multiple Orgasms, Multiple Sex Positions, Prophecy, Reader-Insert, Reconciliation, Sigils, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Vaginal Fingering, Welcome To Hell's Garden (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:34:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>17,182</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26047393</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberrydaifuku/pseuds/strawberrydaifuku</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>During a confrontation between Diavolo and a certain witch who harbors unrequited feelings for him, he declares his intention to ask you to stand beside him in reigning over the Devildom someday. You conclude only one logical explanation for the insanity he uttered: this is his way of discouraging the witch from being so persistent. Although clueless, you play along and become ‘lovers’ with him.</p><p>Inevitably, your existing attraction for Diavolo grows, but the distinction between truth and lies, the crisscrossed lines of the right and the wrong, and the question of what’s real and what isn’t, begin to plague your mind and stir trouble for your relationship with him with each passing day.</p><p>Entangled within the woven threads of soulmates and a royal prophecy, this is the story of the Demon Prince and his future Queen: you.</p><p>[Art by m-cchii | <a href="https://m-cchii.tumblr.com/post/644334451511508992/see-no-evil-hear-no-evil-speak-no-evil">Tumblr</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/_mcchii/status/1365875469271371779">Twitter</a>]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Diavolo (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Reader, Diavolo/Main Character (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>74</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>401</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. See No Evil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A soulmark was an extreme rarity in the human world, a one in a million blessing the lucky ones were bestowed with. You knew no one who possessed one but were acquainted with many who were enamored by it and longed to receive such a privilege. A strange fascination enveloped the world whenever it was mentioned; with romance, fate, and destiny being constant subjects of both fiction and nonfiction works and media. The certainty of someone out there meant especially for you, to have and to hold, appealed to the majority. </p><p>You were a part of the minority.</p><p>From the very first time you had learned of the idea, one thing has struck you clearly: rather than a blessing, soulmarks were a curse. To have a predetermined person you were supposed to spend the rest of your life with was the universe’s way of taking away your free will. The notion alone was suffocating. Nevertheless, while you wanted nothing to do with this system, fate had a funny and sadistic way of doing things.</p><p>On the night of your eighteenth birthday, the telltale sign of the burning sensation on your spine was all you needed to suspect a soulmark had emerged on your skin. Despite this, you convinced yourself you were wrong. It was rare, and there was no way you would be <em> gifted </em>with such a thing, especially since you had expressed a clear dislike for it. In an attempt to crush your worries, you marched to the vanity in the corner of your room and sat on the stool with your back on the mirror. You raised your shirt halfway and turned your head to peek. Above the hem, the tip of an ink-like marking, which hadn’t existed before, rested. The shock and horror of the sight drove your fingers to tremble and release the fabric, your eyes wide as you turned away. The exposed portion had been too little, but you were certain, imprinted on your spine was the lifelong sentence you despised—a soulmark.</p><p>You were the master of your own fate, and no soulmark could tell you otherwise. As more anger and resentment bubbled inside you, you decided that for the rest of your life, ignorance would be bliss. With this resolve, you stood, walked away, and pretended this fiasco never happened. Whatever it was that rested on your back, you vowed to never look at and considered to never exist. When somebody asked you if you had a soulmark, the prospect of the look of wonder they would give you made you want to roll your eyes and scoff, and you would smile and reply with a negative. After that night, you grew out your hair and made sure it would always be long enough to add coverage to your back whenever possible. You said goodbye to clothing that required to be zipped from behind and never once more turned to see your back’s reflection in the mirror. Sometimes, when you bathed, the soap and water running over your spine caused the curiosity you’d tried to suppress for as long as possible to spike, but each time, you fought the urge and succeeded. </p><p>It was difficult at first, but since you had put your mind into it, time passed, and you adjusted to this lifestyle. Only reminded of the truth once in a blue moon, you did everything you could to conceal your dirty little secret from everyone else.</p><p>At present, you were an exchange student at the Royal Academy of Diavolo in the Devildom. Many things you had never thought to be possible were proven otherwise by your stay in this world. One thing, though, has never changed: your secret remained one you never dared to utter.</p><p>Everything in your life was in its rightful place until a fateful day when it all began to topple over like a house of cards.</p><p>One morning, the House of Lamentation was empty save for you. Lucifer informed you a week ago about their agenda today: to entertain a special guest, a certain illustrious witch, in the Demon Lord’s Castle. You offered your assistance in welcoming whoever she was, but Lucifer shook his head and declined readily. If you didn’t know better, you’d say he had paled, but you assumed he was tired and stressed out due to the preparations of their gathering. As the witch had requested the presence of all seven of the demon brothers, you were left home alone for the weekend.</p><p>The skirt of your white dress flowed backward as you made your way to the kitchen with a skip in your steps. To avoid sweating too much, you placed your cardigan aside, tied your hair, and donned an apron. You opened the cupboards in search of ingredients for pancakes and checked the pantry for strawberries, chocolate toppings, and a new bottle of maple syrup to replace the empty one in the kitchen. Determined, you prepared yourself to make a huge batch to share with the demon brothers, and more especially for Beelzebub, later when they returned.</p><p>The sound of the doorbell piqued your interest and led you to pause from mixing the pancake batter. Three possibilities of who could be behind the door left you guessing as you washed your hands and rushed to the entrance. Most likely, it would be the Akuzon delivery man who frequented the house due to Leviathan’s online shopping addiction. If not, it would be Mammon’s debt collector who was very persistent and difficult to drive away. Or it could also be an ‘acquaintance’ of Asmodeus looking for ‘a good time’.</p><p>To your surprise, the one who was behind the door was neither of those three.</p><p>The Prince of the Devildom stood in front of you in all his glory, dressed in a red button-down shirt and black trousers. It confused you why he would be at your door at this time of the day. The demon brothers were at the castle, and you assumed he would be there as well. “Lord Diavolo? What brings you here?”</p><p>“Good morning!” Diavolo greeted, unfazed by the surprised expression on your face. “I thought I’d drop by and say hello.”</p><p>“Hello to you, too,” you replied and gave him a shy smile. “This is a pleasant surprise. Have you had breakfast yet?”</p><p>“I had to leave quite early, so I haven’t.”</p><p>“Would you like to come in and have breakfast with me? I’m cooking some human world food.”</p><p>“You don’t mind?”</p><p>“If you’re not busy, I’d appreciate the company.”</p><p>“Then, I accept.”</p><p>“Great! Please wait for me in the dining room.”</p><p>With a nod, Diavolo passed the threshold and shut the door behind him. You spun around and stepped forward, eager to finish cooking and share a meal with him. Although you received no reply from Diavolo, his footsteps were audible as he followed you. The burning sensation of his gaze caused you to glance at him from your shoulder, proven correct as his eyes shifted from your dress to your face.</p><p>“Is something wrong?” you asked.</p><p>Diavolo smiled and shook his head. “Everything’s perfect.”</p><p>“If you say so.”</p><p>The prospect of having breakfast with Diavolo left you excited. You had always enjoyed his company, and with everyone else occupied, you had a rare moment of being alone with him. It had been a while since you last dined together, and that time had been to check up on you and ask how you were liking your life as an exchange student so far. Ever since you had met him, he had been nothing but nice and well-mannered, though he did have a mischievous side that kept you on your toes. He frequently schemed of ‘fun’ activities centered on you and the demon brothers, and now, your mind would wander to him when something was suspiciously amiss.</p><p>You couldn’t deny how his sinfully good looks left you swooning when he wasn’t looking, but you weren’t naïve enough to be unaware your silly attraction to him was one-sided. It wasn’t as if you were <em> pining </em>for him. Even if your status as an exchange student from the human world opened up numerous possibilities for you to admire him from up close—like now—in the theoretical sense, you were only admiring him from afar. Still, as he entered the kitchen and offered to carry the trays to the dining room despite your half-hearted protests, insisting it was the least he could do, the domesticity of your interactions made butterflies float in your stomach.</p><p>“It’s delicious,” Diavolo commented. Elegantly, he sliced another portion of the pancake and took a bite. “This takes me back to the time when you cooked human world food for us during the retreat at the castle.”</p><p>“Yes, Solomon’s cooking was certainly… memorable.”</p><p>He grimaced. “Indeed.”</p><p>You chuckled and took a sip of your coffee, feeling warmth and contentment as your conversation flowed with ease.</p><p>As you and Diavolo conversed about the topic of demons in human media, with you telling him how their kind was portrayed and him debunking their inaccuracies, the front door swung open and slammed shut.</p><p>“Oh, they’re back already?” You perked up and stood, stepping out to welcome the demon brothers. </p><p>Diavolo shook his head with a grim look in his eyes. He followed suit and faced the entrance of the dining hall, making sure his form was hiding you from sight. “No, I’m afraid it’s someone else. Please stay back, and let me handle this.”</p><p>“What are you talking about? Who could possibly be there—”</p><p>“Diavolo,” a sultry voice called.</p><p>The click-clack of high heels filled the silence as the owner of the voice entered the vicinity. Out of curiosity, you peeked from Diavolo’s shoulder and saw an attractive woman sauntering toward him, her eyes trained on his face, and a sly smile gracing her lips. She was someone you’d never encountered before. You were sure of this fact as her voice alone was remarkable, and she was even more beautiful than any of the succubi you shared classes with.</p><p>“Maddi,” Diavolo returned.</p><p>“Is that the way to greet an old friend?”</p><p>“How are you doing? All seven of the demon brothers were present at the castle. I take it they gave you a warm welcome?”</p><p>“They did, but it wasn’t warm enough,” she replied, crossing her arms. “You weren’t there.”</p><p>You had heard of her before. She was known as The Great Witch Maddi, and apparently, she was the special guest at the Demon Lord’s Castle. If that were the case, then why was she here, and where were the demon brothers who were tasked to welcome her?</p><p>Diavolo shook his head, retaining his cordial demeanor. “I have more important matters to attend to.”</p><p>“Is that so?” she queried, her voice dripping with disdain and amusement. “Anyway, I’m curious why you chose Solomon over dear old me for the exchange program. He’s a shady one, isn’t he?”</p><p><em> And you’re not? </em> You bit back the sarcastic retort and opted to step forward to defend your friend. “Solomon is a powerful wizard who has made pacts with seventy-two demons, making him a suitable candidate and choice for the exchange program.”</p><p>Maddi’s eyebrows shot up in irritation as she sent a spiteful glance your way, her lips curving into a sneer. “Oh, who might <em> this </em>be? A human?”</p><p>Smiling, you held your head high and opened your mouth to introduce yourself. “Yes, I am—”</p><p>“Nevermind Solomon. You chose this <em> plain </em> and <em> regular </em>human over me?” Maddi asked, pointing her index finger in your direction, her tone condescending and accusatory.</p><p>For some reason, it was evident she wasn’t referring to the exchange program exclusively any longer. Was she Diavolo’s ex-lover? From the three minutes you had spent in her presence, it was easy to see how Maddi was so used to getting her way that it upset her whenever it didn’t happen. Truthfully, you couldn’t imagine Diavolo cozying up with someone like her. Since she had arrived, Diavolo has been trying his best not to look like he swallowed something unpleasant, even if the meal you served him was anything but. You’d never seen him this way before. He disliked her, which was strange because Diavolo liked <em> everyone</em>; he was one of the most pleasant beings you had met among the three worlds.</p><p>“It would be best for you to watch your tone, Maddi.” Diavolo placed an arm around you and stroked your clothed skin with his thumb comfortingly. “She’s not just any human.”</p><p>“Don’t joke around, unless…” Maddi narrowed her eyes, gritting her teeth. “Don’t tell me… Is it <em> her</em>? The one the prophecy is talking about?”</p><p>
  <em> Prophecy? What prophecy? </em>
</p><p>The atmosphere was tense. You were in the dark about what was happening, but you understood bits and pieces from their exchange. As your mind wandered with speculations, Diavolo’s response almost made you choke on your spit.</p><p>“Yes,” he confirmed proudly.</p><p>“It can’t be! It was supposed to be me!” Maddi cried out. “No, no, no!”</p><p>“There’s nothing you can do about it,” you finally spoke up, making your statement as vague as possible to conceal your cluelessness.</p><p>“Shut up!”</p><p>You snapped, “You barge in my home, talk badly about my friend, and now, you’re telling me to shut up?”</p><p>“<em>Home</em>? This is the House of Lamentation.”</p><p>“I know. I live here.”</p><p>Diavolo stepped forward in an attempt to keep Maddi away from you. “Maddi, stop it this instant.” </p><p>Maddi shook her head. “Diavolo, there must be a mistake—”</p><p>“This is hardly the time and place for it, but I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, and now, I’m certain she’s the one in the prophecy,” Diavolo stated. He shot a fond smile your way and dropped the bomb on Maddi… and you. “She’s going to be the future Queen of the Devildom… if she accepts, that is.”</p><p>Eyes wide, you took a moment to steady yourself, taken aback.</p><p>
  <em> What in the Devildom is he talking about? </em>
</p><p>There was only one logical conclusion for the insanity he uttered. It was obvious how Maddi had unrequited feelings for Diavolo, and this had to be his way of stopping her from being so assertive. If it would help Diavolo, of course, you’d be willing to do it, you would play along.</p><p>Sighing, you looked at him with a gentle smile and said, “Of course, I would accept.”</p><p>“You would?” Diavolo’s gaze shifted back to you, unable to mask his surprise at your agreement, hopeful. Since you had figured out his game, you caught the double meaning in his words, and you hoped he had caught yours as well.</p><p>You nodded. “Yes.”</p><p>“I won’t let you!” Maddi interjected. She stepped forward and raised her hand to your direction, a glow over the hollow of her palm as she opened her mouth to say the incantation to hex you, or worse, put a lifelong curse on you.</p><p>You shut your eyes and braced yourself for the impact, but before Maddi could do anything harmful, Diavolo encircled her outstretched wrist in a firm grasp. “I’ll think twice before doing that if I were you.”</p><p>Slowly, you opened your eyes. You were welcomed by the rare sight of Diavolo’s serious, livid expression, leaving your breath caught in your throat. </p><p>“I hate you!” Maddi spat, her eyes full of scorn and unshed tears as she glared at you. She stormed off and slammed the door, leaving the two of you speechless.</p><p>At long last, quietness filled the room once again. In shock, you stared at the spot Maddi had occupied and processed what had happened until Diavolo tucked a stray strand of hair behind your ear and caught your attention.</p><p>He sighed. “I apologize for her behavior.”</p><p>“There’s no need for you to apologize. It’s not something you have control over.”</p><p>“I appreciate you saying that,” he replied with a small smile forming on his lips. “Did you mean it? You’re okay with this?”</p><p>You blinked. From what you had witnessed, Maddi was a handful. A possibility she wouldn’t let what happened slide and come back to haunt you was looming over your head. You were already on her hit list, and frankly, it would do you no harm to continue playing along with Diavolo’s charade. It would keep you safe, and it would help him continue driving her off. There were only a few months left until the exchange program was over. Your arrangement would end by then. There was nothing for you to lose.</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>The demon brothers, who rushed home to stop whatever Maddi had plotted, arrived fifteen minutes too late. You and Diavolo were having the last of your coffee by the time they barged inside the House of Lamentation. Promptly, Diavolo and Lucifer had a meeting in the study room concerning the situation with Maddi. As for the rest of the demon brothers, they fawned over you and made sure you were unharmed while those who had the unfortunate luck of encountering Maddi prior to this mess shared accounts of their experience. The conversation soon shifted to all of them ranting about Maddi’s cunning behavior during her escape from the Demon Lord’s Castle. Even though none of them said it, they felt terrible for being unable to fulfill Diavolo’s request which resulted in putting you in unnecessary danger. You assured them you were fine, sneaking glances at the direction of the study room from time to time.</p><p>After half an hour, Diavolo and Lucifer concluded their meeting.</p><p>“Let’s continue this discussion tomorrow,” Lucifer said as the two of them emerged from the study room.</p><p>Diavolo nodded. “Yes, let’s meet at the Student Council Room after class.” </p><p>You wondered about the specifics of their discussion, but before you could dwell on the thought, Lucifer turned to you and requested, “Will you accompany Diavolo to the door?”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>“See you all tomorrow,” Diavolo told everyone, gesturing for you to lead the way. “Let’s go.”</p><p>In comfortable silence, you walked beside Diavolo along the hallway. Your encounter with Maddi replayed inside your head, and though every word she had said screamed her dislike for you, a tiny part of you felt terrible for her and the pain of her rejection. She must have liked Diavolo a lot—loved him, even—but the feeling wasn’t mutual. From your perspective, that sounded awful. </p><p>You halted your steps once you reached the entrance, addressing him as he pushed the door open. “Have a safe trip home. Thank you for today, Lord Diavolo.”</p><p>He paused and regarded you with amusement. “Just ‘Diavolo’ is fine. Call me by my name.”</p><p>“Okay.” You nodded. “Diavolo.”</p><p>“Good girl,” he said, tucking a stray lock of hair behind your ear and bidding you goodbye.</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>The rest of the day passed by in a blur. After excusing yourself, you went straight to your room and plopped down on your bed, the morning’s events still occupying your mind. With how trivial the day had begun, you never expected the circumstances to progress this way. Your thoughts inevitably wandered to Diavolo, the serious expression you had witnessed from him burned in your memory. Somehow, you felt closer to him than you had ever been because of this experience. As the tenderness in his voice and touch from your last interaction left you restless, you reminded yourself this was all for show, and you had a new challenge ahead of you.</p><p>When Beelzebub knocked on your door to summon you for dinner, a part of you was unsettled for the questions the demon brothers would ask you about Diavolo. After everyone arrived and began eating, Lucifer relayed what happened with Maddi first and foremost, and then, revealed the ‘truth’ about you. He stated how Diavolo confirmed this morning that you were the one in the prophecy, the prospective Queen of the Devildom. </p><p>“Haha! Ya tryin’ to be a joker, Lucifer? C’mon anyone can do better than that!” Mammon laughed at Lucifer’s ‘poor attempt at humor’ and downed his lemon juice in one go.</p><p>“If anyone here is a joke, it’s you, Mammon,” Lucifer said, shooting his younger brother’s idea down with a fierce glare. </p><p>“Wh…? No way! You’re... You’re actually serious?”</p><p>Lucifer pinched the bridge of his nose. “We’ve been having this conversation for fifteen minutes. How many times do I have to tell you?”</p><p>“In any case,” Leviathan interjected, sounding excited, “this is even better than the plot of <em> I’m A Succubus Who Fell In Love With Heaven’s Number One Angel</em>! What a turn of events… and posted!”</p><p>Satan sighed, regarding Leviathan with a look of exasperation. “Did you really need to make a social media update?”</p><p>“Duh,” Leviathan replied, typing away his next post.</p><p>Beelzebub, who had been busy eating this whole time, paused and swallowed a bite of steak, peering at your face worriedly from beside you. “Hey, will he make you happy?”</p><p>“He better,” Belphegor stated with narrowed eyes, both sleepy and threatening, “or else…”</p><p>“To be honest with you, I am kinda worried,” you admitted, finally speaking up. “Not about Diavolo, though, but…”</p><p>“If it’s Maddi you’re worried about, say one word, and she’s going to be taken care of, I assure you,” Satan said.</p><p>“Breaking News: Satan has just made a threat against The Great Witch Maddi. How scary the Avatar of Wrath is…” Leviathan commented, “and posted!”</p><p>Satan attempted to snatch Leviathan’s phone but failed. “Give me that!”</p><p>Although menacing, the words of comfort Satan offered you made you chuckle. “Thanks, Satan.”</p><p>“Of course.” Satan sent you a firm nod and went back to trying to get Leviathan’s phone.</p><p>“Well?” Asmodeus prodded from the other side of the table, placing his eating utensils down to fold his fingers.</p><p>“What is it, Asmo?” you asked.</p><p>“What are you waiting for? Spill the beans!”</p><p>“Don’t. I’ll eat them instead—”</p><p>“Not those beans, Beel.” Asmodeus shook his head and made a show of clapping his hands. “I’m talking about Lord Diavolo!”</p><p>Spill the beans about Diavolo? From what you had gathered from Lucifer and Mammon’s conversation, Diavolo told none of them, not even Lucifer, of the true nature of your charade. You trusted his decision, but while you kept your composure on the outside, internally, you began to panic. Did Asmodeus suspect something?</p><p>You cleared your throat and took a sip of your drink, feigning nonchalance as you asked with caution. “What about him?”</p><p>“Come on, you know what I’m talking about. Have you done <em> it </em> with him? Is he good in bed—no, scratch that—<em>how good </em> is he in bed? Does he prefer it rough or gentle? Which position is his favorite? How big is his—”</p><p>“Not another word, Asmodeus,” Lucifer’s booming voice demanded everyone’s attention, and the chatter and the sound of cutlery ceased at once. “Not. Another. Word.”</p><p>Asmodeus frowned but relented, picking up his utensils to continue eating his meal.</p><p>You had no idea how to answer the question Asmodeus posed, and you couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief as the subject was shut down before it could even begin, silently thanking Lucifer’s aversion to the topic for saving you from responding.</p><p>The conversation shifted to more trivial matters, all of which you were more than happy to participate in, as long as none of them concerned you and Diavolo. Soon, you were laughing with everyone again. The mood was lighter, and the food was more enjoyable. Once dinner ended, you returned to your bedroom and reveled in the fact you survived the whole ordeal. No one but you knew the truth about your situation with Diavolo. The less who knew, the less complicated it was. It was best to keep it that way.</p><p>After you took your cardigan off and hung it aside, you began your routine for the night, thankful for the mundane task to keep your mind off things. As you changed into your pajamas, the fabric running over your spine sent a conscious feeling of your soulmark all over you, but as always, it didn’t matter. You fought the urge away, and your secret remained safe, even from you.</p><p>Turning the lights off, you laid in bed and stared into the abstract patterns in the ceiling, adding one more secret to those you had to keep.</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>The next day, the news of the confrontation Diavolo, Maddi, and you had at the House of Lamentation spread like wildfire all over the academy. Succubi sent impressed—some, envious—glances your way while incubi followed your form with unrepressed interest as you made your way to your classes. A few demons shook your hand and introduced themselves when you went to the cafeteria to eat lunch while a few others glanced at you with fear, much to your confusion. The scrutiny in their gazes was nothing new, but the way it increased tenfold had you on the edge all day. The moment Seductive Speechcraft, which was your final class for the day, was dismissed, you bolted out of the classroom at once, sighing when you reached the first floor.</p><p><em> What a day</em>, you thought.</p><p>As you had haphazardly put them on, you fixed the straps of your backpack on your shoulders and slowed your pace as you made your way to the exit. Once you reached the courtyard, however, to your surprise and panic, Diavolo was making his way to you, an exhausted Lucifer in tow.</p><p>A glance around the area made it seem as if no one was around, but you knew better. With the way everyone had been watching you like a hawk since you stepped inside the campus this morning, the demons interested in your affair with the Prince of the Devildom were present but hiding from plain sight.</p><p>“There you are,” Diavolo said, his tone elated and satisfied. He turned to Lucifer and addressed him, “I’ll take it from here. Thank you very much for your assistance, Lucifer.”</p><p>“You’re welcome.” Lucifer nodded, shooting an exasperated glance at you and Diavolo. “Seriously, it’s only been a day, and the two of you are already such a handful…”</p><p>With a shake of his head, Lucifer left the two of you to your devices and climbed the staircase on the way to the Student Council Room.</p><p>As soon as Lucifer was out of sight, Diavolo stepped closer to you and moved to give you the item he was holding. “Here.”</p><p>“For me?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>You outstretched your hands and accepted his gift: a budding Mirage Flower in a little crimson pot with a golden ribbon tied around its center. Colorful iridescent petals glimmered in the most enchanting way you had ever witnessed, and you took a moment to appreciate their beauty. Every time you happened to see this flower, that time when you and the brothers were all worried about a ‘thief’ running around in the Devildom and stealing this plant, valuable and an endangered species, from the Western Forest would pop inside your mind. The ‘thief’ turned out to be Diavolo, who had been sneaking into the forest and moving the flowers to the academy in hopes they could be admired by the denizens in this world better. It had given you and the brothers a shock when you found out, but all in all, it was a funny memory to look back on.</p><p>However, as you held the flower pot in your palm, where it fit perfectly, another thought struck you and led you to blurt out, “H-Hold on. Isn’t this illegal?”</p><p>Diavolo let out a booming laugh, his head thrown back and his hand over his stomach, neither confirming nor denying your assumption.</p><p>“Diavolo…” You twirled the end of the ribbon with your index finger, truly questioning the legality of his gift. </p><p>“You forget,” Diavolo said as he smiled mischievously, “that I’m the Prince of the Devildom.”</p><p>“Even so. Is it really okay for me to have a Mirage Flower?”</p><p>“Of course.” He nodded, a finger reaching out to touch the flower bud gently. “I wanted something unique to be the first flower I would give to you, and I know you’ll take care of it. Besides, you’re a thousand times more special than any Mirage Flower in the Devildom.”</p><p>Right. You were <em> supposed </em>to be the future Queen of the Devildom.</p><p>It would’ve been such a shame if the Mirage Flower had been plucked and left to wilt in time. This flower was too precious for such treatment. You were grateful for Diavolo’s foresight, preferring to receive such a special flower this way. As you warmed up to his gift, you thought of the spots you could place it in once you arrived home and decided you’d put it on your windowsill and water it as needed. “Thank you. It’s really beautiful. I promise to take very good care of it.”</p><p>“It’s my pleasure,” Diavolo said, one of his hands reaching out to stroke your hair and cup your cheek. His golden eyes gazed straight at your own intently, and you couldn’t find it in you to look away.  “I’m looking forward to this weekend.”</p><p>Confused, you cocked your head to the side, unintentionally leaning into his touch. “Why? What’s going on this weekend?”</p><p>Diavolo took your free hand in his and kissed the back of it, his warm lips leaving a tingling sensation in their wake. “Our first date.”</p><p>Several gasps erupted from the students hiding from various spots around you, and a few loud squeals followed. A camera flashed from a photographer from the RAD Newspaper Club who had stumbled upon the scene by accident, documenting this moment for future reference. At this point, everyone was done trying to conceal their voices, the scene in front of them too interesting to ignore, sparking numerous conversations among them. You overlooked the ruckus, your attention solely focused on the man in front of you, your heart beating like a drum as you smiled shyly.</p><p>“I’m looking forward to it, too.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As of writing, we have yet to see how Maddi is truly like in canon.</p><p>Thank you for reading! This is a work in progress. I’d love to know your thoughts on the story so far if you’re keen on sharing them. (◍•ᴗ•◍)✧*。</p><p>I’m <a href="https://ichigo-daifuku.tumblr.com/">@ichigo-daifuku</a> on Tumblr if you’d like to drop by and say hi. 🍓</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Hear No Evil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I went through a writing slump for a while, so I decided to work on a few shorter pieces before writing this chapter. Finally, it’s here! To those who have been waiting for this, I hope you’ll enjoy reading. Thank you for your patience! ♡</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>To say your week was eventful would be an understatement.</p><p>It was no secret that wherever Diavolo went, eyes followed. Even if demons walked on eggshells with him, word about him spread from one mouth to another rapidly, both news and rumors alike. Now, your circumstances mimicked his own. When the two of you would be spotted together, all hell ensued. Once, Diavolo walked you to your classroom, and by the end of the day, everyone—including Belphegor, who had skipped classes—had knowledge of what happened. As the days passed, you slowly fell into the normalcy of such occurrences. The reason for it was when you were in Diavolo’s company, the last thing you cared about was the eyes trained on you, as strange as it sounded. On a positive note, it contributed to the fabrication of your relationship and made it more believable. No one had questioned either of you about it yet.</p><p>The most awaited day of the week arrived, Saturday.</p><p>You awoke in a good mood, undeniably filled with anticipation of the events today would bring. As you watered the Mirage Flower on your windowsill, the item resting beside it caught your eye: a note. You finished your task and took the crisp white envelope in your hands, flipping it over to see the crimson wax seal on its flap. While you were expecting the RAD logo to be stamped on it, the sigil was one you were positive you’d never seen before but felt strangely acquainted with.</p><p>With utmost care, you unsealed the envelope, and in the card, the sender had written:</p><p>
  <em> Bewitched, I was, on the fateful day you and I met. </em>
</p><p>The familiar penmanship was all you needed to confirm it was, indeed, from none other than Diavolo.</p><p>You’d be lying if you claimed your heart didn’t flutter when you finished reading that single sentence, but that was a normal response, wasn’t it? Such a romantic sentiment was written in a note for <em> you</em>, and it was from an admirable man—of course, you’d be moved by it. As you breathed in and out to curb the initial surprise you felt due to the content of the envelope, you tapped behind the paper with your index finger, thinking.</p><p>Diavolo loved games, and he was entertained the most by being their mastermind.</p><p><em> This is a riddle,</em> you thought. <em> What a strange way to ask someone out. </em></p><p>You chuckled, both amused by his antics and by the way the gears in your head turned to figure out the meaning behind his words. Months ago, the demon brothers had insisted on coming with you to the Demon Lord’s Castle when you were invited there for tea. Perhaps, it was because, back then, Diavolo had requested for your company in the same manner that you found the answer in no time.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Quietness ruled over the RAD campus on weekends, a stark contrast to the busy picture it painted on weekdays. The area remained open, though, permitting industrious students to hole up inside the library and club members to work on their extracurricular activities. </p><p>Leisurely, you strolled along the garden and entered the building without bumping into anyone you knew. Once inside, you recognized a few demons and nodded to them as a greeting while navigating your way to the answer to the riddle: <em> The Student Council Room</em>.</p><p>The door let out a small creak as you pushed it open. Since Diavolo was nowhere to be found, you stepped inside and opted to look around for any signs of another envelope. Despite having a lot of papers and writing implements, Lucifer’s area was the tidiest. The square-shaped tube of the tinted lip balm Asmodeus had been frantically searching for yesterday was on his table. Meanwhile, a stack of overdue assignments Belphegor ‘forgot’ to bring home was on his desk.</p><p>You roamed around the room until you reached the space you had landed on when you were transported into this world. Standing still, you raised your head, your gaze meeting the podium Diavolo had occupied, the place where he greeted you. It was the very first time your eyes landed on him. In absolute clarity, you could picture the scene of your meeting and how he looked like back then. He was tall and proud, his eyebrows scrunched together in worry at your discomfort at being summoned so suddenly. Most of all, he was <em> regal</em>, as if the place he had been standing on was not a student council podium but a throne.</p><p>“This takes me back,” you commented, feeling nostalgic after realizing how far you’d come. You’d learned many things from your stay and met friends more precious to you than anyone else. In the past, if someone told you what kind of relationship you’d be sharing with the Demon Prince months later, you would’ve laughed and brushed them off. “Now, where could that envelope be?”</p><p>You stepped aside and moved forward. The stairs led you to where Diavolo had been on that ‘fateful’ day. Footsteps tentative but thrilled, you approached his seat, halting and pulling the chair out. You stood in the place where Diavolo belonged; high up, the sight offering a clear view of what was happening below. Your gaze zeroed in on the center of the room, the spot you stood at a while ago, where he first landed his eyes on you. It hit you that you were looking at that place from his perspective. What did he think of you back then?</p><p>“‘<em> Bewitched, I was, on the fateful day you and I met, </em>’” you uttered and caught yourself having thoughts you shouldn’t have. Sighing, you shook your head, picked up the envelope on Diavolo’s desk, and muttered, “Why is he so good at this?”</p><p>You unsealed the envelope and read the next riddle:</p><p><em> The </em> <b> <em>greed </em> </b> <em> and </em> <b> <em>lust </em> </b> <em> I harbor for you know no bounds. </em></p><p>How in the Devildom were you supposed to interpret that message? If you were surprised by the previous riddle, then you were flabbergasted now. You had to remind yourself multiple times: it was a <em> riddle</em>; nothing more, nothing less. Based on the emphasis he had given the sins in the message, the clue laid in the two members of the Seven Rulers of Hell: Mammon and Asmodeus. Intrigued by the events he had in store for you, you contemplated the riddle’s meaning further and descended on the stairs with the intent of going home. Before you could forget, you grabbed the missing lip balm Asmodeus left on his desk and decided to return it to him and ask him for any clues Diavolo might have given him.</p><p>Once you arrived back at the House of Lamentation, you went straight in the direction of Asmodeus’s room, but surprisingly, you met him along the hallway.</p><p>“Asmo! I found the tinted lip balm you’re looking for in the Student Council Room,” you stated, handing him the item.</p><p>He accepted it gratefully, his eyes wide. “Oh, my… I must have left it there a few days ago. Thanks for bringing it!”</p><p>“Sure thing,” you replied. “Where are you off to, by the way?”</p><p>“Glad you asked! The <em> Into The Devildom </em> collection I designed is going to be launched soon, so I’m meeting some partners for it.”</p><p>“Wow, congratulations! I’m looking forward to seeing your designs!”</p><p>“Oh, thank you, darling! As crazy as this sounds, the executives suggested Mammon as one of our models, so he’s going to attend the meeting, too.”</p><p>“Wait! What did you just say? Mammon?”</p><p>“I know, right?” His facial expression morphed into one full of disbelief and exasperation. “Well, I mean, even if he’s scummy off-cam, he does justice to clothing on-cam, so I have high hopes for this campaign... but don’t tell him I said that!”</p><p>“Yes, yes, of course…”</p><p>The request Asmodeus made barely registered in your mind as you figured out the place connected to both the Avatar of Greed and the Avatar of Lust: <em> Majolish</em>.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>The Majolish VIP Room lived up to its name; it was nothing short of glamorous.</p><p>After going to an AkuDonald’s drive-through, Mammon, Asmodeus, and you—or as you liked to refer to yourselves: TEAM PARTYYYYY—headed straight to Majolish while chatting about random topics and gossip. Once inside the rose-colored establishment, Mammon and Asmodeus parted ways with you to attend their meeting. You were about to search for clues from the racks and shelves when a staff member approached and escorted you to a sitting room to serve you tea and snacks.</p><p>Minutes after partaking of the refreshments, the head stylist welcomed you to the adjoining VIP Room, where, at the moment, you were sitting inside and waiting. You stared at your reflection in the grand vanity mirror. All its lights were turned on, and it was an image you’d only seen in Hollywood movies back in your world. After you were all glammed up with flawless makeup, a staff member under Asmodeus brought an ensemble from his unreleased <em> Into The Devildom </em> collection. You tried to refuse, but after a phone call from the designer himself, insisting he wanted the best clothing for you on your ‘momentous’ date, you relented and expressed your gratitude for his thoughtful gesture.</p><p>“My lady,” the head stylist called. Although everyone in this place had been referring to you using this title since earlier, you were still unused to it. The head stylist offered you the item in their hands. “Lord Diavolo asked us to give you this envelope after you’d chosen your outfit.”</p><p>You smiled and received it. “I see. Thank you so much.”</p><p>“I wish you both a wonderful time,” the head stylist replied and left to give you privacy.</p><p>You opened the envelope, wondering what the riddle would say. Since he led you here to prepare you for your date, this would be the last note, wouldn’t it?</p><p>
  <em> Meet me at the place where we first shared dinner, my princess. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I will be waiting. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> — Diavolo </em>
</p><p>
  <em> ‘My princess.’ </em>
</p><p>He called you his princess.</p><p>Your heart did a complete somersault at that. </p><p>Unexpectedly, the riddle—if you could even call it one—was more straightforward than the previous two you’d received. You placed the card back inside the envelope, putting it together with the other two inside your clutch. Clearing your throat and fixing your posture, you stood and adjusted your clothing. You were nervous again, but you were ready.</p><p>A sleek black car waited for you outside, ready to take you to your destination: <em> Ristorante Six</em>.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“You look even more beautiful tonight,” Diavolo remarked.</p><p>He smiled at you from across the table, his appearance dashing though he was only in a plain dress shirt and slacks. He took the champagne flute in his long fingers, your eyes refusing to miss the way his arm flexed at the movement and how his throat bobbed as he took a sip of the beverage.</p><p>“I have you to thank for that,” you gulped and managed to reply. “The staff at Majolish were all so nice and accommodating.”</p><p>“That’s good to hear.” He placed his glass on the side and leaned back to his seat, his eyes trained on you. “Did you enjoy the riddles?”</p><p>You let out a laugh. “I can’t say I didn’t.”</p><p>“I’m glad,” he said, the smile on his lips shifting into a frown. “To tell you the truth, I initially planned for us to enjoy a day together in the human world… but when I asked Lucifer for advice, he told me it wouldn’t be pleasant if we were to run into a certain witch…”</p><p><em> Ah, </em> you thought, wondering what that would’ve entailed. However, wouldn’t it be better for Maddi to see you and Diavolo together for her to be deterred? When you contemplated the matter further, you supposed that would be dangerous—for you, at least. Honestly, you would’ve been fine with a simple dinner, but knowing Diavolo, the fact that Ristorante Six was empty save for the two of you was his way of apologizing and making up for the breakfast Maddi ruined. “You don’t need to worry about that. I really enjoyed today. It’s my first time going on a date in the Devildom.”</p><p>“That makes me happy,” he stated, visibly relieved and pleased. “We can still go, next time.”</p><p><em> Next time</em>. The implication he wanted to go out with you again made your chest thrum with anticipation. “Yes, you’re right. Next time.”</p><p>He reached across the table and took your hand in his, his thumb brushing your knuckles. “Thank you for agreeing to go out with me.”</p><p>The scent of roses swirled around the room. The romantic atmosphere enveloping the two of you was intoxicating—as if it was an invitation for you to give in to the thoughts and emotions looming over your mind and heart. Was it those riddles that got to you? Or was it Diavolo himself, whom you’d always admired from afar?</p><p>You smiled at him and let your fingers hold on to his own tighter, just for a moment.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>As you expected, Diavolo insisted on taking you home. You didn’t mind—no scratch that—it delighted you he’d offer, as your dinner with him felt strangely short. You’d spent a considerable amount of time during the day figuring out the riddles, a period longer than your two hours of dinner. While the five-course meal left you satisfied, your conversation with him was so enjoyable that it felt brief. It wouldn’t take that long to travel from Ristorante Six to the House of Lamentation, so you figured a few more minutes wouldn’t hurt.</p><p>Soon, you arrived at your home. Diavolo entered the gates of the House of Lamentation with you in comfortable silence. Once the two of you stepped on the porch, you offered, “Do you want to go in and say hi to everyone?”</p><p>“Hm?” Diavolo was lost in thought as he gave you an indecisive stare.</p><p>“Diavolo?”</p><p>As you stared back at him, it dawned on you. You’d witnessed this scene a thousand times in human world movies before, and with his interest in the pop culture of your realm, he had, too. You used to think it was nothing but a ridiculous cliché, but now, you weren’t so sure about that anymore.</p><p>“Can I kiss you good night?” Diavolo asked in a low, husky voice.</p><p>You had no way of concealing the surprise etched on your face. Even if you expected the question, the thought of kissing him was <em> surreal</em>. You never dared to dream of it, yet here he was, truly asking you if such a thing would be fine with you. The demon brothers would be watching somewhere from one of the tall windows, you had no doubt about it, burning with curiosity about the date between the human they shared a pact with and the Prince they swore their loyalty to. You had agreed to be a part of Diavolo’s charade, and your first date went well. This was natural.</p><p>You nodded. “Okay.”</p><p>Closing your eyes, you leaned into his warmth as his palm made its way to your cheek and curved at your jaw. The gentle pressure of his lips on your own lasted for a mere second, and the loss of contact prompted your eyes to open, the desire for more reflected in your eyes… and his.</p><p>In front of you, Diavolo revealed the rare sight of his vulnerability. You’d never known it before, but there was a limit to his seemingly perpetual composure. As you gazed at the undeniable flush on his cheeks and the hesitation painted all over his countenance, the longing to see more of this version of him led adrenaline to spike in your veins.</p><p>You wrapped your arms around his neck and whispered, “Do you need me to do more?”</p><p>Diavolo’s eyes widened at your astute inquiry, but he made no move to deny it. “Will you?”</p><p>The question sounded like a challenge, but underneath that layer, it was a plea. He wanted this, and you did, too—even if it was only for show.</p><p>“I can,” you confirmed, “if you’d like me to.”</p><p>At your agreement, his hesitation dissipated. He leaned in and brushed your lower lip with his thumb. “If you continue to tempt me like that, you need to prepare yourself for the consequences.”</p><p>“I’ve been prepared for them. Ever since I said ‘yes’ to you.”</p><p>You closed your eyes as Diavolo bent his head and pressed a gentle kiss on your lips. It was a real one, this time, and you returned it enthusiastically, throwing caution to the wind. His palm moved past your cheek, down to your shoulder, pausing on the small of your back until it settled around your waist, fitting your bodies together. His warm tongue slid past the seam of your lips to meet yours, deepening the kiss and awakening a wave of desire inside of you.</p><p>Before it could get out of hand, you broke the contact of your lips on his. You caught your breath while Diavolo leaned his forehead against yours. Your lips stayed a hair’s breadth away from each other’s, sharing warm puffs of breath and brushing as you whispered, “Good night, Diavolo.”</p><p>“Good night, my princess.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>The first kiss you shared with Diavolo had been the beginning of many.</p><p>A certain thrill hung in the atmosphere whenever the two of you were in the vicinity of each other. More often than not, your encounters would lead to the two of you leaving hand in hand to move to a more private setting as everyone watched. Although there was no reason for you to continue your charade behind closed doors, the moment your eyes met his, kisses followed. When your relationship with him took a physical turn through your heated kisses, your attraction to him inevitably grew stronger.</p><p>Being the heir to the Devildon’s throne, Diavolo was a busy demon. Despite this, he would still take you on dates. You’d gone to Ristorante Six a few more times. There was an instance when he wanted to go to AkuDonald’s, and you were more than happy to introduce him to your favorites. Your date at Hell’s Kitchen went well, too. How he managed to find the time for these things, you had no idea. The following dates you went with him were accompanied with gifts, and soon, across your bedroom’s shelves and beside your pillows, various plush toys from Cranesanity rested—all acquired personally by Diavolo. It was both amusing and endearing, his interest in that game.</p><p>On a Sunday afternoon, weeks after you began your dangerous affair with him, Diavolo invited you to come over for tea in the Demon Lord’s Castle. Much like how it began after your second date, he had asked you in a way you’d consider <em> normal</em>, this time, through a text message. Either way, if he was the one who invited you, you’d be delighted to accept.</p><p>With the inky view of the Devildom outside the sitting room window, you sat across Diavolo, a round ornate table full of pastries between the two of you. The freshly brewed Ceylon tea by none other than Barbatos, a culinary legend, was warm and fragrant in your teacups. One of the best things in the Demon Lord’s Castle was the food. Barbatos’s cooking was the best, truly fit for royalty, and worth every praise you’d heard about it. As Beelzebub would mention now and then, from being served such food alone, Diavolo was lucky to have Barbatos as his butler.</p><p>While eating, Diavolo brought up how the RAD Newspaper Club contacted him and asked for his approval for your photo in the academy’s courtyard to be published. Before giving them a response, he wanted to know if you had any objections or conditions for Mephistopheles to take into account.</p><p>“I have no problem with it, honestly. It would be better if the denizens knew, wouldn’t it?” you responded after giving it some thought, meaning every word you said.</p><p>Diavolo nodded, considering your answer.</p><p>“What about you? What do you think?” you asked.</p><p>“I’d like nothing more than to let everyone know about us. Not that they don’t know already, but officially, I mean.” Diavolo chuckled and handed you a printed copy of the photograph for your approval. “We look like quite the pair, don’t we?”</p><p>As you examined the picture, a smile made its way to your lips, a tiny, if not bittersweet, one. You, Diavolo, and the Mirage Flower were at the center of the frame. On the surface, the two of you looked like a couple in love; convincing, real. You knew better, though, and that reality left a pang in your chest. “We sure do.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>A celebratory ball was going to be held at the Demon Lord’s Castle in honor of Diavolo’s prophesied ‘Queen.’ In other words, the ball was going to be held to honor <em> you</em>. The situation was similar to what happened some time ago when the demon brothers, through their gratitude, made you the guest of honor during Diavolo’s birthday. It lessened the nervousness you felt and replaced it with anticipation.</p><p>Still, it would be nice to thank Diavolo for everything he had done for you. You looked back on the facts you’d learned about him in the past few months and listed the arts, cute animals and items, and sweets as the things he was partial to. His tastes were eclectic. When you first met him, you wouldn’t have guessed he considered flowers and small animals to be comforting.</p><p>In the end, you decided to go for the ‘sweets’ option. Macarons and cupcakes would be nice, wouldn’t they? Both of them would be cute and sweet. You decided to experiment with a few trial batches before making a final one to give Diavolo as a gift on the day of the ball. </p><p>Luke, who you were convinced was truly your guardian angel, was more than happy to assist you when you asked him for help.</p><p>Once your classes were dismissed, you returned to the House of Lamentation with Luke. After he demonstrated how to make macarons and cupcakes, you sat side by side and chatted as you waited for the pastries to bake.</p><p>“So,” Luke began out of the blue, “you’re really dating Lord Diavolo, huh? I couldn’t believe it when I first heard about it.”</p><p>While you had experienced telling white lies to children back in your world, at the moment, you found it difficult to believe how you were lying to an <em> angel</em>. “Haha, yeah. It’s been a while.” </p><p>“I’m still not over the fact that a good human like you ended up being destined for a demon all along! Even if that demon is Lord Diavolo…” Luke frowned. He had always been like this, worrying about you, a human who was constantly surrounded by demons. To him, now that you were going to be Diavolo’s Queen, your entanglement with demons had become inexorable.</p><p>You couldn’t help but reach out to him and ruffle his hair. He was truly an angel, a good kid.</p><p>“H-Hey,” he complained but did nothing to move your hand away, “stop that!”</p><p>“Thanks for worrying about me, Luke.” You smiled at him reassuringly and patted his shoulder. “Everything will be fine. As you said, Diavolo and I… well, we <em> are </em>destined, after all.”</p><p>The sound of the timer prompted your heads to turn to its source. Luke’s face lit up as he excitedly grabbed his mittens and skipped to the corner of the room. The heavenly scent of pastries wafted all over the kitchen as he drew the oven’s door open.</p><p>You, however, stayed in place and merely watched, once again having difficulty believing how you lied to an <em> angel</em>.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Diavolo’s trusted footmen fetched you from the House of Lamentation to the Demon Lord’s Castle. </p><p>Over the last few months, you’d developed a sense of familiarity not only with Diavolo’s staff but also with the ins and outs of his grand home. You’d stayed over numerous times that the guest room you frequented in was now assigned as exclusively yours, with your personal effects in it, serving as your room. Aside from your possessions, brand new designer clothing purchased by Diavolo—which were, unexpectedly, all in your size—as well as makeup, accessories, toiletries, and everything you could need, occupied the walk-in closet.</p><p>“Is this really necessary?” you had asked him when you found out about his shopping spree, worry trumping the other mixed emotions you felt at the sight of more gifts.</p><p>“I want to give all the best things to you.”</p><p>“If you say things like that, I…”</p><p>“Don’t you think my future Queen deserves the best of the best?”</p><p>“...Right, of course.”</p><p><em> Diavolo’s Queen. </em> That person was not you. You sighed and reminded yourself he was the Demon Prince. He had an eternity’s worth of money to spare, purchasing these items was nothing to him. He prepared this for the Queen in the prophecy, a partner deserving of such luxury. When you eventually had to use some of the items for attending events with Diavolo, you told yourself you were just borrowing them. You handled everything with care and returned them to their original place after use—as if your hands never touched them at all.</p><p>You arrived at the Demon Lord’s Castle and found yourself sitting on the plush sofa inside Diavolo’s study. After recently having a vision of Diavolo playing hooky, Barbatos requested for you to keep an eye on him, insisting his master would listen to you. Barbatos asked you to make sure Diavolo would finish his tasks before the two of them had to leave for a meeting with important figures of the nobility in the Devildom. You obliged, having nothing else to do on a Friday night, preferring Diavolo’s quiet company over the club music and neon lights in town, which would no doubt be full of demons unwinding tonight. While you scrolled through Devilgram, liked your friends’ photos, and laughed at funny videos, Diavolo went through his stack of papers diligently. As the pile grew smaller, he hummed to the tune of a song from <em> Mononoke Land</em>, which piqued your attention.</p><p>“You seem to be in a good mood,” you commented. </p><p>“I am.” He nodded happily. “You’re here, after all.”</p><p>You smiled at him. “I’m glad.”</p><p>Diavolo signed his name at the bottom of the page he was working on and placed his seal on it. After the wax dried, he closed the folder and placed it to the side, leaning back against his seat with an exhausted sigh.</p><p>You glanced at him and asked, “You’re finished?”</p><p>“It seems so,” he replied, checking the grandfather’s clock in the corner of the room, “and with a few minutes to spare, too.”</p><p>“Barbatos will be pleased. Congratulations!”</p><p>He chuckled and shifted his gaze back to you, a mischievous smirk on his lips. “Don’t you think I deserve a reward?”</p><p>“Maybe,” you played along coyly. “What kind of reward do you want?”</p><p>“Something only you can give me.”</p><p>“Such a thing exists?”</p><p>“Yes.” He gestured to you with his fingers, beckoning you over. “Come here.”</p><p>You locked your D.D.D. and left it on the sofa, standing up and stepping in front of his desk. “What can I do for you, Diavolo?”</p><p>“You can come closer.”</p><p>You circled the desk until you were beside him. “Here?”</p><p>“Not quite.” He took your wrist and encircled your waist with his arm, pulling you into his lap. “Right here.”</p><p>You shifted and found a more comfortable position with your legs hanging from the side of his knees. “That’s it?”</p><p>“No.” Diavolo brushed your hair aside and caressed your cheek. “Kiss me.”</p><p><em> Gladly</em>, you thought but ultimately chose actions over words as a response.</p><p>Your lips had long been acquainted with his, but every single time remained as a sensual experience that left you wanting for more. Sometimes he’d be slow and gentle, taking his time to savor your taste, while other times had been quick pecks on your lips when either of you would be busy and in a rush to say goodbye.</p><p>But now, the kiss the two of you were sharing could only be described as passionate. Your palms rested on his shoulders, and slowly, you wrapped your arms around him, closing in your bodies toward each other. His lips moved against yours so greedily—lustfully—that you felt sinful as you reciprocated, drowning in his warmth.</p><p>When you pulled away to catch your breath, his arm tightened around your waist, and his mouth swept over your cheek, leaving a trail of kisses in its wake until his lips found your neck. He kissed you softly, his tongue darting out to dampen your skin before nipping and sucking at it.</p><p>“Diavolo,” you closed your eyes and whispered, not wanting to make noise but unable to hold it in.</p><p>“Let out your voice,” he said, moving his lips downward after leaving a lovebite on your skin. “I want to hear you.”</p><p>His long fingers unfastened the button of your blouse, giving him more access to your body. As he moved to the next button, however, a loud knock on the door caused the two of you to freeze.</p><p>“My Lord,” Barbatos called. “It is time for us to leave.”</p><p>Without waiting for an answer, the sound of footsteps echoed on the empty hallway and faded as Barbatos gave the two of you privacy.</p><p><em> He knows, doesn’t he? That Barbatos, </em> you thought, internally panicking. You moved away from Diavolo and fixed your hair and clothes. Even though your mind was all muddled now, you managed to casually tell him, “I guess it’s time for you to go.”</p><p>Deep inside, you were anything but calm. Your head replayed the events that occurred minutes ago. <em> That was a close call. Too close. What in the Devildom were you thinking? Seriously…  </em></p><p>It always irked you how times when, after sharing a kiss, Diavolo appeared to be unbothered existed. You preferred the vulnerable expression he had shown you during the first time you agreed to kiss him. Still, you were curious, and you turned your head to peek at the face he made tonight, but nothing could have prepared you when your eyes met his.</p><p>His gaze on you was full of <em> desire</em>, an emotion you’d only seen on him in flickers before; a speculation you doubted but was now a blatant truth. He stepped closer to you and pulled you in a tight embrace, letting you feel the extent of his arousal as he stroked your hair and inhaled your fragrance.</p><p>“We’ll finish this next time,” he whispered.</p><p>And then, he sealed his promise with a kiss.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>After seeing Diavolo and Barbatos off, you opted to go home instead of staying longer in the Demon Lord’s Castle. You needed time to think, and being in a place full of memories with Diavolo didn’t help in clearing your mind.</p><p>You’d long accepted your attraction to him. If you were to imagine what it would be like to be in a relationship with a soulmate, every detail would be the same as the romantic affair you shared with Diavolo, except it would be <em> real</em>. Tonight, you had to face the music and admit it to yourself: you wished it was.</p><p>The situation was getting out of your hands, and at a loss of what to do, you grabbed your D.D.D. from your pocket and dialed a reliable friend’s number, knowing this decision would change your life.</p><p>As insisted by the angels, Solomon went to town to order takeout for dinner instead of experimenting in the kitchen. That was when he received your call. The two of you agreed to meet up at Hell’s Kitchen, as you spontaneously decided to purchase food for the demon brothers as well. It had been a while since all eight of you had gone for a meal there. Solomon wasn’t in a rush and had time to spare, so he was more than happy to sit down with you for a chat as you waited for your orders to be processed.</p><p>“Shall we have a round of Demonus tonight?” he asked, leading you to a nice, secluded table in the corner of the room.</p><p>“Sounds good,” you replied with a nod and took the seat in front of him.</p><p>After some idle chat, a waiter brought two horns of Demonus for you and Solomon.</p><p>With his elbows on top of the table, Solomon rested his chin over his folded hands. He broached the subject with a smile, “So, what did you want to talk about? Spells? Pacts? Demons? Recipes?”</p><p>You took your time in replying, not having uttered this word in this world before. “I’d like to talk about… soulmates.”</p><p>“Soulmates? Well, that’s something I didn’t expect.”</p><p>“Yes, I… I wanted to know if there are demons who have soulmarks.”</p><p>“How come? By any chance, do you have a soulmark?”</p><p>It was difficult enough for you to acknowledge you had one, but if you wanted to acquire information from Solomon, your best bet at the moment, you had to come clean about your situation. “Yes, I do.”</p><p>“Does Lord Diavolo know?”</p><p>“No, this is a secret I’ve never revealed to anyone before.”</p><p>Solomon contemplated the situation you had given him. “That is certainly complicated.”</p><p>You sighed and took a sip of your Demonus. “I know.”</p><p>“I hate to be the one to break it to you. I’ve been around for a long time, but I’ve never met a demon with a soulmark.” </p><p>“I see. That’s…”<em> Sad? Unfortunate? Heartbreaking? </em> What were you supposed to say when the disappointment clouding your mind felt so heavy?</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Solomon said sincerely.</p><p>“It’s… It’s nothing. I’m alright.”</p><p>He took a sip of his drink and allowed you to process the information he had given you. As you did, you couldn’t help but dwell on another matter that continued to plague your mind. After a few minutes, you decided this would be the best moment to ask.</p><p>“Solomon…”</p><p>“Yes, what is it?”</p><p>“Have you heard about Diavolo’s prophecy?”</p><p>A sly smile made its way to his lips. “Let’s just say having pacts with seventy-two demons has its perks.”</p><p>That caught your attention. He knew something about it. “Will you tell me?”</p><p>“Why not ask him yourself?” Solomon suggested. “It’s something that concerns you as well, doesn’t it?”</p><p>There had always been a sense of camaraderie between the two of you as the only humans in the exchange program. Revealing the fact you had a soulmark was one thing, but telling him about the secret you shared with Diavolo was another. Still, if you were to receive the answer your gut feeling told you that you would receive, there would be no need to worry about that any longer. </p><p>“I’m going to tell you another secret.”</p><p>Solomon nodded encouragingly. “And it will remain as one.”</p><p>His quip made you laugh, but the amusement faded in the blink of an eye, the words you were about to utter weighing you down.</p><p>“The truth is, I’m just a stand-in for whoever is the one in the prophecy,” you confessed. “I’m sure you’ve heard of her, but Maddi… well, long story short, Diavolo had to drive her away, but she steered the conversation to the prophecy, and I happened to be there, so…”</p><p>Solomon peered at your face, his expression grave. “You’re sure about this?”</p><p>“Yes, I was there. That’s what happened.”</p><p>“And the demon brothers don’t know, so you can’t ask them yourself.”</p><p>“That’s right.”</p><p>He leaned back and crossed his arms. “Okay, I’ll tell you.”</p><p>Relief washed over you at his agreement. If Solomon ended up refusing, you didn’t know who else you could approach.</p><p>Solomon cleared his throat and divulged, “It was long ago, so the version of the story varied, but from what I’d gathered from the different sources I had, one thing was constant: a witch had a vision of the future when the Demon Prince was born. It was said that Diavolo’s Queen would be the bridge to his goals, and only when the Queen would rule by his side would he be able to see them into fulfillment.”</p><p>This was the revelation you needed, the answer you sought after. If the prophecy was made when Diavolo was born, it meant that he had been waiting for his Queen for millennia.</p><p><em> It must be lonely, </em> you thought, but loneliness was something you never saw on him. </p><p>While you never cared about finding nor ending up with your soulmate, it was a different matter with Diavolo. The Devildom would always be his number one priority. To figure out the dream the prophecy was referring to was easy: for the three worlds to live peacefully in coexistence. He’d expressed that many times before. The establishment of the exchange program was a stepping stone to actualize his vision, but he was still waiting for his Queen, a position vyed by many but was in your wrongful hands.</p><p>It would be fine to continue pretending to be his Queen <em> if </em>you weren’t in love with him… but you were. How could you continue kissing him and wishing every caress of his lips was sincere? It was as if you were a traveler with a parched throat who spotted an oasis from afar, only to discover it was a mirage once you reached it. Even now, a flicker of envy sparked within you for the nameless, faceless Queen of the Devildom he was bound to have by his side. At once, you discarded the thought and decided it wasn’t a good feeling to have, to covet him, who is destined for someone else. It would be wrong of you to continue pretending to be someone you weren’t, especially since someone who might be out there already existing, deserved this place. </p><p>Solomon’s worried voice roused you from your reverie. “You seem shaken. Are you going to be okay?”</p><p>“I’m fine,” you responded with a shaky voice. “It’s just… a lot to take in.”</p><p>“What do you plan to do now?”</p><p>“I’m going to break things off with him.”</p><p>“You say that, but will he let you?”</p><p>“Why wouldn’t he?” You let out a sardonic chuckle. “It’s not like there was anything going on between us, to begin with.”</p><p>“Hmm…”</p><p>“Solomon? What is it?”</p><p>“Oh, nothing.” He shook his head and smiled. “I’m curious to see how this unfolds. I wish you the best of luck.”</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>Yes, breaking things off with him would be the right thing to do. After all, you couldn’t help but imagine yourself in Maddi’s shoes as Diavolo blatantly rejected your affection. The thought alone was painful enough. Before that could happen, you’d part ways with him in amicable terms and through your own will. The exchange program was going to end soon, anyway. Truly, there was no point in holding on to him any longer. This would be for the best.</p><p>You would set things straight and end your arrangement with him the next time you planned to meet each other: at the upcoming celebratory ball at the Demon Lord’s Castle.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ohoho! Two down, one to go! (✧ᴗ✧)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Speak No Evil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Welcome, my lady.” </p><p>The staff at the Demon Lord’s Castle greeted you with dutiful bows. If they were surprised at the punctuality of your arrival, they showed no signs of it and ushered you inside. As per your previous visits, they were all cordial. Most of them even looked excited, and you felt a pang of guilt for deceiving them all this time.</p><p>Originally, the demon brothers had planned for your grand arrival with all seven of them escorting you to the ballroom. Due to your change of plans, however, you made excuses and admitted you had matters to discuss with Diavolo before the celebratory ball, intentionally leaving out any specifics. You persuaded them by divulging your plan of handing Diavolo the baked goods you prepared as a gift. In the end, the demon brothers reluctantly relented. You patted yourself on the back for remaining firm despite your gratitude for the Seven Rulers of Hell. It was a difficult feat to accomplish.</p><p>The day after your conversation with Solomon, you headed to town and purchased an outfit for the celebratory ball on your own rather than using those hanging on the racks of the prophesied Queen’s closet at the Demon Lord’s Castle. It was the first step in your departure from your role as the faux Queen. While browsing at one of your favorite boutiques, you found a red embroidered evening gown that completely covered your back and was zipped from the side. It was simpler than any of the formalwear in the Queen’s closet, but it wasn’t as if you would be at the party to impress anyone nor enjoy yourself.</p><p>It would be the last time you would pretend to be Diavolo’s other half. After this event, everything would be over.</p><p>A bittersweet feeling flooded your chest, but when you looked back at the moments you shared with Diavolo, you were unable to deny the truth to yourself: you’d do it all again if you could.</p><p>Your high heels click-clacked on the polished floor as you approached Diavolo’s study. Before anything else, you peeked inside and only entered the room once you found it empty. You shut the door and went over to his desk. The kisses you shared with him the other day were still fresh in your mind. In a span of a few days, your circumstances with him had completely changed. It was strange to stand in the same place with that realization gnawing at your gut.</p><p>Gingerly, you set the pastry box on Diavolo’s table, pulled a sticky note from his tall stack, and wrote a short thank you note for him. A small sense of finality washed over you as you signed your name and placed it on the box. It was cowardly of you to give him your gift like this, but once you’d told him you’d end this charade with him, he might decline it. You were already hurting, and as much as possible, you wanted to lessen the impact of his rejection.</p><p>After leaving his study and roaming around the castle, Diavolo remained nowhere in sight. You took a wild guess and went to the gazebo, a tinge of dread in your steps when you found out you were right. As tall and regal as he was during the first time you saw him, he stood and gazed at the lake, its tranquility one with its beholder.</p><p>“Diavolo,” you called.</p><p>“Hello there.” He turned his head to look at you, his lips breaking into a smile. “You’re beautiful.”</p><p>“Thank you,” you replied and moved forward, taking in the sight of him in formalwear. “You look great, as always.”</p><p>“You flatter me.”</p><p>“It’s the truth.” Once you reached the gazebo, you stayed at the threshold, ready to leave once you had said what you needed to tell him. “By the way, I left something for you in your study.”</p><p>“A gift?”</p><p>“That’s right. Some pastries. I baked them myself.”</p><p>“Let’s eat them together later. We can have our own after-party.”</p><p>“No, I made them for you. And we’ll get full at the banquet, won’t we?”</p><p>“There’s always room for dessert.” He laughed at his own quip and gestured over the lake. “Why don’t you stand beside me? The view is quite splendid.”</p><p>“It’s fine. I can admire it from afar.” Unwavering, you remained rooted at your spot. The lake was majestic, but it wasn’t what you were here for tonight. You hid your shaky hands behind your back and fiddled with your fingers, taking a deep breath as you returned your complete attention to Diavolo. “I have something to tell you. It’s important.”</p><p>“You can tell me anything, my princess.”</p><p>“I’m sorry, Diavolo,” you said, “but let’s end this.”</p><p>A long pause passed before he clarified with uncertainty, “The party?”</p><p>“Not that. I meant this—whatever’s between us—let’s end it.”</p><p>“What? Why? Have I done something to displease you?” Diavolo interrogated, his entire demeanor shifting into a panicked one. He stepped closer to you, but you retreated and exited the gazebo entirely. It dawned on him: his pursuit would cause you to fall further back. A grim expression on his face, he came to a halt and demanded, “Tell me.”</p><p>“No, Diavolo. Far from it,” you confessed with a sad smile. “You’re the Prince of the Devildom, and you’re the most wonderful man I’ve ever met.”</p><p>“If so, then what’s the problem?”</p><p>“I’m in love with you.”</p><p>“And?”</p><p><em> And? That’s all he has to say? </em>you thought bitterly, hurt your confession warranted such a lackluster reaction. “I can’t keep doing this when there’s someone else meant to be by your side.”</p><p>Diavolo stiffened. “Someone… else…?”</p><p>“Yes. I can’t pretend to be the Queen in the prophecy anymore. I love you. A lot. And it’s hurting me, so please, let’s end this.”</p><p>Instead of replying, Diavolo kept quiet.</p><p>Unable to take his silence any longer, you averted your gaze and proceeded to wrap up the conversation. “I’ve said what I wanted to say. I’ll attend the party. You’re free to clarify this tonight or I can pretend to be your Queen one last time, whichever works for you. But please make sure to clear up the misunderstanding in the future.”</p><p>“You’re under the impression,” he paused and let out a laugh in an icy tone you’d never heard from him before, “that we’re <em> pretending </em>to be together?”</p><p>Chills ran down your spine. The question he uttered made you more nervous than you ever were tonight. Diavolo’s deep voice dripped with realization, incredulity, but most of all, <em> rage</em>.</p><p>You were in trouble.</p><p>“You’re right. There’s been a misunderstanding.” He let out a menacing laugh and strode in your direction. Instinctively, you attempted to put space between the two of you, but he grabbed your wrist and pulled you close to him, wrapping both of his arms around your waist so quickly you didn’t have the chance to step away and flee. “All the times you said you were happy, whenever you told me you were looking forward to seeing me, when you agreed we looked like a great couple, you weren’t lying.”</p><p>“I wasn’t,” you acknowledged, your tense body gradually going lax at his touch. The familiar scent of his cologne made your mind hazy as you breathed in. “I’ve been in love with you for a while now. I might have pretended to be your lover, but I’ve been true to you. That’s why we have to end this.”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“No?”</p><p>“No.” Diavolo bent his head and whispered in your ear, “I never lie, did you know?”</p><p>You didn’t.</p><p>His words prompted your head to swirl with scenes of your interactions, one of them standing out among the rest.</p><p>“So, that day… when Maddi confronted us about the prophecy,” you paused, your eyes wide as you tilted your head to meet his gaze, “y-you meant every word you said?”</p><p>“Yes, you’re the one for me. The only one,” he declared, embracing you tighter. “Shall I prove it to you?”</p><p>Once the question left his lips, Diavolo’s eyes glowed, and the next thing you knew, the sights around you shifted from the gazebo to the Queen’s closet. He refused to let you go, and you were faintly aware you were in the corner of the room as your hips nudged the wooden edge of the grand vanity table. Fortunately, the surface was vacant since all the cosmetics remained in the drawers, or else they would have already toppled on the floor.</p><p>Diavolo asked, “Do you know what’s on your back?”</p><p>“How did you—”</p><p>“I saw. When we had breakfast together, during that day when you agreed to <em> pretend </em>to be my lover.” His fingers brushed the nape of your neck and slid down to your spine, his large palm resting over your back. “Do you know what’s written here?”</p><p>“My soulmark.”</p><p>“It’s more special than that.”</p><p>“How come?”</p><p>“Have you <em> seen </em>it?”</p><p>You shook your head. “I’ve never dared to. I don’t like it... and I’m… scared of it.”</p><p>“Do you like me?”</p><p>“I love you.”</p><p>“Are you scared of me?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“If that’s the case, there’s no need for you to dislike or be scared of your mark.”</p><p>As he had revealed to you moments ago, Diavolo never lied. You trusted him. If he was certain he was your soulmate, you had nothing to fear. “Okay, but I have to remove my dress, so if you will, the door is that way.”</p><p>Diavolo released you with a quiet laugh. A familiar mischievous smile played on his lips, he shook his head. Determinedly, he reasoned, “I can’t afford any more misunderstandings with you.”</p><p>Instead of leaving, he moved and settled down a few steps within your reach. He gave you free rein over the space in front of the mirror and crossed his arms, waiting.</p><p>Conceding, you sighed and shook your head in exasperation. There was no way you could convince him to leave. You raised your fingers to pull the zipper from your side, but the eyes trained on you were too intense, you almost turned—if not for the fact you’d still see him admiring your actions from the mirror which, strangely, felt more intimate. Averting your gaze, you stripped out of your evening gown. You thought of making your way to the chaise and laying down your outfit on it, but your hands felt too shaky, and your feet felt too cold. The crimson cloth slipped away from your fingers and pooled on the floor.</p><p>Donned only in your lingerie, you were exposed, and your back was ready for your revelation. Fear threatened you to put an end to this mess through flight, but your trust and affection for the man standing in front of you led you to fight this fear and face it head-on.</p><p>And then, on your own volition, you finally looked at what was imprinted on your back: the soulmark you once resented but now gave you hope and promise.</p><p>Once you saw it, you felt grateful for your unknowingly wise decision of hiding it from everyone who asked about it in the human world.</p><p>“No way…” you murmured, unable to tear your gaze from your back’s reflection.</p><p>Three numbers were written vertically over your spine:</p><p><b>6</b> <b><br/>
</b> <b>6</b> <b><br/>
</b> <b>6</b></p><p>Diavolo approached you, his arm moving past your waist and resting on the table. He tilted his head to the side, and like you, openly gazed at your soulmark’s reflection in the mirror. His fingertip traced over the numbers, one after another, earning a soft gasp from you. “You know what this means, yes?”</p><p>You did.</p><p>The Devil’s Number.</p><p>Devil.</p><p>
  <em> Diavolo. </em>
</p><p>Speechless, you turned your face and stared at him, tears threatening to fall from your eyes.</p><p>“Do you honestly believe I could be this good at pretending to be in love with you?” Diavolo questioned and gave you a kiss on your forehead. “You think too highly of me.”</p><p>“Do you really… love me?” you whispered.</p><p>“Listen well, my princess,” Diavolo embraced you and stroked your hair. “I love you.”</p><p>Tears streamed down your cheeks, dampening his suit, but neither of you cared. “The prophecy…”</p><p>“It’s about you.”</p><p>“So, all this time…”</p><p>He sighed and grimaced. “Yes.”</p><p>“Are you still mad at me?”</p><p>“I am,” he said, releasing you to wipe your tears with his thumbs. “Don’t think I’m letting you get away with it.”</p><p>Diavolo cradled your cheeks and bent his head to kiss you. After you decided to break things off with him, you had accepted you’d never be as close to him as you were before, but here you were. Eyes closed, you basked in his affection, which you now know was true and meant only for you. Despite the anger he admitted to, the sensation of his lips on yours was warm and forgiving. When you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulled him closer, and deepened your kisses, the soft sigh that escaped his lips was all you needed to know he was <em> relieved</em>. It put him at ease that you loved him and weren’t going to leave him. It was a sentiment that mirrored yours.</p><p>Breathless, he leaned back and met your heated gaze. The crackling tension between the two of you grew from powerful to electrifying, a telltale sign of a singular ending to this encounter. It was a resolution you never dared to consider when you entered this castle tonight, but it was one you had no complaints about. He needed this—<em>needed</em> <em>you</em>—and you’d be damned if you were going to let this end like it did last time.</p><p>“Will you indulge me?” His fingers grazed your mark once more as he took the clasp of your bra between them and unhooked it in one go. “Rather, would you indulge in me, my princess?”</p><p>“Here? Now? The celebratory ball is going to start soon,” you teased, tugging his bow tie with your index finger and unfastening it.</p><p>“Our unfinished business is more important,” Diavolo reminded you, his suit jacket falling on top of your dress. You unbuttoned his shirt and brushed your lips on his collarbone, the tip of your tongue teasing his exposed skin. He sighed and continued, “You have no idea what you do to me. I’ve wanted you for so long, but it seems my feelings didn’t come across properly. I’ll make it so you’ll never have any doubts about us ever again.”</p><p>Diavolo guided you to sit on the dresser and began kissing your neck, freshening the faded lovebites he had made and adding more as he caressed your breasts with his palms and dragged his thumbs over your hardening buds. His ministrations were languid and tender, but every contact with his mouth and fingers left you squirming, eager for him to quicken his pace and pay attention to where you needed him the most.</p><p>“When you first arrived here, I just knew… I have to have you all to myself,” he confessed.</p><p>As his lips reached your abdomen, Diavolo went down on one knee. To you, he looked like a knight receiving an accolade from his monarch; as if the vanity table was your throne, and he was promising himself to you. Perhaps, it would be more appropriate to liken him to the prince who had finally found his elusive Cinderella. But perhaps not—as unlike that prince, he was removing your high heels and setting them aside. Desire and reverence filled his eyes as he tilted his head and stared at your bare form, your chest rising and falling in anticipation. </p><p>“Now, everyone’s going to know you're mine,” he vowed, hooking your panties at the side and sliding them down your legs, “including you.”</p><p>Your mouth parted in a soundless groan as Diavolo kissed the inside of your knees.</p><p>“What do you say, my princess?”</p><p>Anticipation pooled at the pit of your stomach. A slow, coquettish smile made its way on your lips. Above all else, you wanted him to know you were eager for this as much as he was—that you desired him as much as he desired you. You raised your legs and beckoned him closer by spreading them and letting your calves and feet rest over his wide shoulders. “Show me.”</p><p>He smirked, pleased with your answer. Wordlessly, he kissed and nipped at the sensitive flesh of your inner thighs. Tilting his head lower, his warm breath ghosted over the apex of your legs, his lips hovering over your sex. The first swipe of his tongue was gentle. He let you familiarize yourself with the sensation before he licked you where it was the most pleasurable. When he did, the sharp inhale you took didn’t escape his notice. He knew what he was doing, flicking his tongue and sucking at that little bundle of nerves with the right amount of pressure, in the way you never knew you wanted it. His index and middle finger over the sides of your entrance, his tongue plunged inside you. It triggered a sudden movement of your hips, but he held you in place and steadied you with his other hand, his ministrations never faltering, coaxing a diminutive moan out of your lips.</p><p>“You hear that?” he murmured, pertaining to the sound the shallow thrust of his middle finger made. Those three words sent a pleasurable wave from his lips to your groin, making you curl your toes and your back arch against the mirror. “We’ve only just begun, and you’re already so wet for me.”</p><p>“Stop teasing me so much,” you whined. You reached out to brush his hair and thread your fingers between its strands, but at the quickening pace of his hand, you ended up tugging at his locks instead.</p><p>“It’s because you’re holding back,” Diavolo pointed out with a soft chuckle. He peered at your face and waited for your reaction as he added a second—and soon, a<em> third </em>—finger into the mix. “Let me hear you. I know you can be louder than that.”</p><p>Even if you wanted to subdue the gratified noises threatening to fill the room, you were helpless against his earnest pursuit of your peak. He pumped his fingers in and out of you over and over, making you cry out as you reveled in the sensation of your release. At a rhythmless pace, your hips shifted against his face once more, only this time he let you ride out and enjoy the most out of your climax.</p><p>Diavolo might be all refined, dignified, and gentlemanly, but now that you had brought out the lascivious side of him—the raw and sinful part of him he kept in the dark to many—he was relentless. He straightened his body and licked his damp lips, savoring your taste. It was a look that told you that there was more to come—that he had more to give.</p><p>Eyes bleary, you were faintly aware of it as Diavolo stood. You did likewise, albeit unsteadily, and allowed him to turn your body around. With a light press of his palm over your back, he inclined you downward. Your fingers grasped the edge of the table, and the vision of your flushed state connected with your eyes in the glass. Above your likeness, Diavolo’s reflection smirked at you. Then and there, your earlier thoughts about him admiring you from the mirror were proven correct: everything about this was intimate, enthralling, and insanely sensual.</p><p>Diavolo pressed his lips on the numbers on your spine, and your legs wobbled as you shivered. He held you by the waist, his torso perfectly fitting over your back as his other hand worked on his trousers and guided himself near your fluttering entrance, the tip touching you but not entering. His lips tickled your ear, and he dragged them across the lobe and tugged at it. With a soft but demanding voice, he urged you, “Say it.”</p><p>Still in a daze from your climax but covetous of another, you were ready to do whatever he wanted you to do. “Say what?”</p><p>“Say you’re mine.” He nudged his length between your sensitive folds. He felt so <em> good</em>, and you knew he was going to feel even <em> better </em> once he was <em> inside </em>you.</p><p>“I’m yours,” you vowed, shifting your lower half to sheathe him. “I’m yours—only yours! Now, please Diavolo!”</p><p>He was delivering what he had promised earlier, showing you how you were his. At the same time, you wanted him to show you he was yours, too. Yearning to be connected to him in some way, you turned your head to meet his lips with your own. Instead of replying with words, he slipped his tongue past your mouth and kissed you deeper. He gripped your hips and eased himself inside your core.</p><p>Startled, you pulled your lips away and faced forward with a soft gasp. Although you had an idea of his size and girth from your foreplay, he still felt <em> more </em> than you expected. He was only halfway in, and yet, you were already biting your lower lip to suppress a pleasured scream from coming out of you.</p><p>His pace was tantalizingly unhurried. Again and again, he drew back and thrust inside you—only to stop midway. </p><p>It was <em> frustrating.</em> You were capable of taking all of him, and you knew it.</p><p>“Harder,” you pleaded, “Do it harder… Please!”</p><p>With a kiss on your shoulder, he chuckled and replied, “As you wish, my princess.”</p><p>He gave you what you asked for and eased himself fully inside you. Once you accommodated his length, your eyes fluttered closed reflexively. Yes, this was it. This was exactly what you needed. Your breath hitched as he slowly drew back until his tip remained in your entrance, and in a second, he plunged inside you again. “Y-Yes, just like… like that.”</p><p>Diavolo groaned, increasing his pace. His fingers dug at your hips, and the erotic sound of skin slapping filled your ears. He leaned back and let out a low hum of appreciation as you took every inch of him perfectly. His voice strained and lacking its usual composure, he remarked, “Feels even better than I imagined.”</p><p>
  <em> Well, damn. </em>
</p><p>The image of him touching himself to the thought of you was enough to make you shudder with arousal, but the pleasure of having him, in reality, was beyond any vision your mind could conjure up. You clenched around him, coaxing a grunt and a loud moan from his parted lips. He gritted his teeth and tightly shut his eyes, the rhythm he had set gradually turning rougher.</p><p>“Fuck!” you moaned, “Diavolo, I… I-I’m gonna—”</p><p>He sensed it. His pace refused to falter, and you reached your climax within seconds. You witnessed how much of a mess you turned to in the mirror, but you couldn’t care less. It was Diavolo who made you this way, after all. Your arms and legs gave out as you shuddered, but he readily caught you before you could fall to the ground. </p><p>Diavolo unsheathed himself from you and returned you to your seated position. He kissed your hair and shifted his lips near your ear. “More?”</p><p>“Y-Yes.”</p><p>Gently, he held one of your legs up and propped your ankle on his shoulder. His other hand clamped over your bent knee. He entered your slick heat, and this time, you were able to accommodate him at once.</p><p>“You’re taking me so well,” he praised, his golden eyes following the movement as he thrust in and out of you. “Good girl.”</p><p>For the third time tonight, he drove you over the edge, but your earlier climax caused your current race to the peak to be agonizing. You feel it dangling over you, but at the same time, it was out of your reach. Distressed, you exclaimed, “I can’t!”</p><p>“You can,” he countered, giving it to you harder, “and you will.”</p><p>The fervor in his promise remained inexorable, and the tremor in his voice hinted at his impending climax.</p><p>You grabbed his wrist and shifted your leg downward, determined. He realized what you were trying to do as you held your arms up and wrapped your legs around his hips. Chuckling, he lifted you up with ease and held you in his arms firmly. You threaded your fingers through his hair and kissed him. He gripped your thighs and slid you up and down his length, returning to the rough momentum you had moments ago in sought of the heat the both of you had built up.</p><p>Little by little, his pace turned uneven. His breathing was labored and warm against your skin. </p><p>“I want to see you come,” you told him. The familiar coil in your abdomen unfurling, your voice grew louder as you cried out, “Fill me up, Diavolo. You’re mine.”</p><p>As soon as you said those words, euphoria washed over every fiber of your being. This was the highest you’d ever felt, and you were certain no feeling could compare to this. No other being could compare to him. Diavolo was the only one for you.</p><p>In a split second, his jaw slackened and his eyes closed, groaning unabashedly and calling out your name. He continued thrusting inside you, never sliding out he chased his own peak. Trembling, he throbbed and filled you up as you asked, the warm and wet liquid dribbling down the inside of your thighs with his final thrust.</p><p>Panting, the two of you remained still as you came down from your respective highs.</p><p>It was you who broke the silence a few moments later. “I love you.”</p><p>He smiled and stroked your hair. “I love you too, my princess.”</p><p>The tender moment was shattered by the sudden increase of temperature on your back. Pain derived from your soulmark and spread over to your shoulders and hips. It rapidly grew hotter until it was sweltering. Your whole body felt as if it was on fire. You couldn’t take it any longer.</p><p>“Diavolo!” you cried, “My back—it’s burning!”</p><p>The touch of his bare skin was comforting, and somehow, his presence alleviated the agony. However, the invisible fire grew more intense. You could do nothing but let out a scream on his shoulder and cling to him.</p><p>Diavolo hooked one of his arms under your knees and carried you to the connecting bathroom. He placed you in the bathtub and made sure your head rested on the area gently. As the cold water rose and filled the tub, he caressed your forearm and held your hand reassuringly.</p><p>Your throat felt parched, you couldn’t say anything although you longed to. </p><p>He cupped your cheek and wiped the tears you were unaware you were shedding. “Shhh… It’ll be alright. I’m here. Don’t worry about anything. I’ll stay with you and...”</p><p>Before you could hear the rest of Diavolo’s words of comfort, everything had gone black.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Vivid visions of the past filled your dreams one after another. You had long heard of people having their life flash before their eyes before they pass away. Was this it? Were you dying? You hoped not. The images blurred and turned ambiguous as the heat you felt subsided.</p><p>And then, you returned to the waking world. <em> Alive</em>.</p><p>The cool wind from the open terrace doors nipped at your skin. Except for your exposed back, the rest of your body was warm, enveloped by the calming embrace of the man laying underneath you.</p><p>You slowly opened your eyes and blinked.</p><p>Diavolo turned his head to look at you. “You’re awake.”</p><p>Your fingers reached the fabric of the sleeveless nightdress you were wearing. Vaguely, you recognize it as one of the items in the closet next door. It was your first time wearing it.</p><p>“I dressed you. I hope you don’t mind,” Diavolo said.</p><p>“It’s fine.” You had shared more intimate moments to be embarrassed about something like that; it almost felt trivial. “Thank you for staying and taking care of me.”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>“What time is it?”</p><p>“Almost midnight. How are you feeling?”</p><p>Abruptly, you sat bolt upright. “Wait, what? And the celebratory ball?”</p><p>“It’s still ongoing, but you have nothing to worry about. More importantly, does your back still hurt?”</p><p>“No,” you replied after a brief pause, surprised at your own observation. You stretched your shoulders and bent your arm to reach over the small of your back to check. “It’s as if nothing happened.”</p><p>“Something did, actually. Something very important,” Diavolo informed you, his tone full of seriousness. “Your mark changed.”</p><p>“What do you mean it changed?”</p><p>It was the first time you heard of a soulmark morphing into another shape or form. Appearances of soulmarks were rare enough. As you mulled it over, however, you were quick to overcome the disbelief. When all was said and done, you and Diavolo were far from a regular pair of lovers. </p><p>Diavolo sat up and took your hand in his. “Come, look.”</p><p>The spark of excitement and delight in his demeanor piqued your curiosity. His eagerness, though contagious, was patient. He led you to the bathroom at the pace you were most comfortable with. Given the events that transpired earlier, the last thing he wanted was to insist you advance quicker and push yourself too hard.</p><p>A giant mirror rested over the sink. Unlike before, you had no qualms nor nervous sentiments about looking over your back. The nightdress made it easy for you to see what Diavolo was talking about.</p><p>“This is…”</p><p>“My sigil.”</p><p>You face Diavolo with a quiet smile.</p><p>“Do you still have doubts about me? About us?” he asked.</p><p>“No… I’m sorry.” You take his hand in yours once more. “For the record, I don’t think I ever will again.”</p><p>“Good to know.”</p><p>“Why didn’t you tell me right away? You said you suspected it from the first day we met. I think there’s a possibility Barbatos knew of it as well.”</p><p>“Yes, it was the first time I felt so drawn to someone, but while I had my suspicions, I was only able to confirm them during that day, at the House of Lamentation,” he revealed, squeezing your hand. “As for Barbatos, I asked him not to look into anything relating to the prophecy and you, or at least, not to inform me if he sees anything—except if you would be in danger. I wanted things between us to progress naturally. Was that overly selfish of me?”</p><p>“Not at all. I’m glad we were able to get through this together, just the two of us,” you replied, endeared by his intention of pursuing a relationship with you in the most normal and genuine way he could. “I didn’t act upon it because I never thought it would be possible, but I… felt drawn to you from the first day, too.”</p><p>“Is that so?”</p><p>“Yes,” you admitted and glanced at the door. “Is it too late for us to attend the party? I bet everyone is worried.”</p><p>“Are you feeling fine enough?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Okay.” He nodded, his expression shifting into an amused one. “I think our previous outfits are wrinkled, though.”</p><p>You laughed. “I think so, too.”</p><p>“Why don’t you choose another one from your closet? You know, I was wondering why you’re always so hesitant to accept gifts from me.”</p><p>“Sorry about that,” you replied with sincerity. “This time, I accept the offer wholeheartedly. Thank you for everything. I mean it.”</p><p>“You’re welcome, my princess.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>As a final touch, you swiped a layer of red lipstick over your lips and closed the container with a snap. You leaned back and observed your reflection in the mirror. Even though your choice of lip color was bold, you opted for light makeup and went with the natural flushing of your cheeks. You couldn’t help the blood heating up your face at the reminder of your earlier escapades with Diavolo. Undoubtedly, you would never be able to look at this vanity table in the same way ever again. </p><p>Gold jewelry adorned your ears and wrists. The intricate lace pattern of the sleeves and neckline of the black evening gown you were wearing was exquisite to your touch. The full expanse of your back was bare, laid in the open for all to see. While you were unused to such clothing, the impending revelation of your fate for all of the three worlds to witness felt right. All in all, it was a quick ensemble you arranged, but it was elegant. You were more satisfied than you were earlier when you first dressed up for the celebratory ball—in more ways than one.</p><p>“All done?” Diavolo asked, standing up from the chaise and putting his D.D.D. inside his pocket. He was in his demon form, as everyone else would be except for your friends from Purgatory Hall, for your ceremonial dance at the end of the celebration. It would be the only event you would be able to attend at this point, but it was the most important one, marking the end of Diavolo’s search and the beginning of your new role.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>He stepped forward and offered you his arm. “Shall we, my princess?”</p><p>Wordlessly, you smiled and slipped your hand in his arm as affirmation. This time, you had no guilt nor doubt. Your relationship with him was as real as it could get. You were the prophesied Queen of the Devildom. Soon, he would be your King.</p><p>Diavolo was your fate and your choice. And you were his.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em> Bound by destiny are the Prince and the Princess. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Over her skin, his symbol shall appear and remain. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And with the whole Devildom as their witness, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> King and Queen, they shall be; eternal, they will reign.</em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that’s a wrap!</p><p>This fic began with the idea of a character having ‘666’ as a soulmark. It was the first time I posted a work that was still in progress, and I’m really grateful for all the kind comments and feedback I received along the way. Thank you to everyone who supported this story. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! 💖</p><p>Update: My friend, m-cchii, created an illustration inspired by this story. You can find it on <a href="https://m-cchii.tumblr.com/post/644334451511508992/see-no-evil-hear-no-evil-speak-no-evil">Tumblr</a><br/>and <a href="https://twitter.com/_mcchii/status/1365875469271371779">Twitter</a>. Thank you so much, M! 💝</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tumblr: <a href="https://ichigo-daifuku.tumblr.com/">@ichigo-daifuku</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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